In 2024 Phil Gatenby brought the Place, People & Living Memory exhibition, and anassociated programme of activity, to the Art Gallery at Darlington Library. It was preceded by the Indelicate, Ungenteel, Vulgar & Outrageous Women exhibition at Josephine Butler College, Durham University, in 2023, with both exhibitions making up the Pease, Butler & Spence programme, with Pease being Elizabeth Pease Nichol (1807 – 1897), part of the Quaker family who commissioned the creation of Darlington Library.
Phil curated both exhibitions, which included commissioned works from several artists. Place, People & Living Memory was a very popular exhibition, Darlington Culture Volunteers kindly supported its stewarding, and The Auxiliary kindly loaned equipment to enable video artworks to be shared within it. A selection of visitor comments on the exhibition are shown below:
- Phenomenal show – breathtaking, well done to all.
- Impressive scholarship! V. well presented.
- A fabulous exhibition – what a joy to see and read such interesting and original content on display here in Darlington.
- So much to see and information to absorb ….this exhibition is a ‘Tour de Force’, I shall return to learn more about the subject explored.
- Fascinating exhibition highlighting historic philanthropists and abolitionists, we have so much to be thankful for.
